Frozen Summer Fun a bit of a counterblast to Diagon?

[ThinkTink09]

Nobody is flummoxed by anything. You just need to apply a little bit of common sense.

Would anyone planning on visiting Diagon Alley change their mind and go to DHS for the Frozen even instead? Even if someone was staying onsite at Disney and planning on taking a day to see Diagon Alley, I seriously doubt this would make anyone reconsider and decide to spend that day at DHS instead.

Would media coverage of Diagon Alley now switch and cover this amazing Frozen event?

It can't a response at all to Diagon Alley if it has zero effect on Diagon Alley and that's pretty much the case here. It's likely something thrown together to cash in a bit on the success of Frozen and at the same time, help distribute some of the summer crowds.

That's true, but I also think that the intention of Disney wasn't to lure away the typical DA visitor, but to have something other than NFL to hype. People for sure are going to be talking about an all day Frozen event, given the movie's popularity, and disney doesn't want uni dominating the summertime conversations. Sure it's nowhere near the caliber of DA, but it's something. And I think there just may be the guest situation where a family was on the fence about visiting the darkside, have kids who love HP AND Frozen, and find that it's easier and cheaper to head over to HS.

That said, I can't wait for my split stay this fall!! I'm trying really hard to avoid looking at DA reviews and photos ( and no, you won't find me choosing DHS over USF )

 

[FINFAN]

There seems to be a lot of posters that seem absolutely flummoxed by the idea that any of this is any kind of response to Diagon Alley.

I dunno...the fact that this event starts the same week as Diagon's Opening just struck me.

oh I'm not flummoxed at all, I just don't think that is their main objective. Another big money-maker with this will be people adding hoppers to their tickets.Or even stay on site now for any EMH precious extra minutes at said park? Yep...how many parents are going to cave when their little Anna or Elsa wants to go to DHS after AK closes? Or go to this since they didn't get A&E at a convenient time, (or all together) plan to do "more" Frozen stuff that "no one who was here before summer" got to do? That $60 hopper option , plus the new tshirts, dresses, or jewelry or doll or whatever merchandise..oh yeah, this is a win -win really. I for one, am thrilled it will pull some of the masses away, but bummed that DHS was hard enough to get FP for RNR and TSM.. I hope it doesn't create a nightmare like the first Villain's Unleashed, happening every day I hope they put a LOT of prep into crowd control and extra CM's etc, really, just not a lot of space to spread out in that park.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

I don't see how it's a profit generator with the exception of the Frozen merchandise they said will be available. The whole event isn't substantial enough to draw many visitors who weren't already planning a trip to WDW. Seems like the primary goal almost has to be crowd redistribution.

I believe it was sort of thrown together last minute which is why isn't wasn't launched in June or along with 7DMT.

They will make a lot of money off merch though. And I wouldn't be surprised if they started offering premium viewing area/dessert parties for a charge either.

But I thought MDE was supposed to redistribute the crowds. Wasn't that a big part of the $1.5B selling point? "Hey honey! I just got a text from Disney that will allow me to click and book bonus FPs for us for RnR over at DHS. Let's leave the MK in an hour and head over there." Wasn't that supposed to be the plan? If Frozen Summer is intended to move people from one park to the other, then it seems as if they have punted on one of the key features of MDE before most people have even had a chance to use it for the first time.

FP+ is supposed to better redistribute the crowds to different attractions within the same park. I'm not a fan of FP+, but according to the wait times posted by both touringplans and Easy WDW it has done that. Crowds at headliners have decreased (slightly) and crowds at secondary attractions have gone up.

With absolutely no inside information, I beg the question: "How does anyone know this was put together overnight?"

It may have been released to the public overnight, but how are we sure that Disney hasn't been developing this for months? Anyone here a CM or have the inside info for clarification?

I just feel that they would have announced it sooner. Most people have already made their plans for the summer by now. But just because they put it together quickly, doesn't mean it can't be good.

IMHO,that's exactly what it is.

I think a Disney exec got tired of hearing Diagon Alley this,Diagon Alley that and,in an attempt to "steal" a little attention away from Diagon Alley,said:"Put something "Frozen" together NOW!!!!".

That is the only reason that makes sense since this thing was put together in just the last few weeks-any other reason would have seen much more pre-planning.

JMHO

It's possible that they wanted to try to turn the conversation back to WDW, but I just don't think this will compete with Diagon Alley.

 

[MichiganDVC]

I just feel that they would have announced it sooner. Most people have already made their plans for the summer by now. But just because they put it together quickly, doesn't mean it can't be good.

If it was a meet and greet or something simple, I would agree that it was last minute. But it sounds like a multi-layered production that had to have taken months to develop, cast, and train for?

I do see your point, though, about announcing it earlier so that people could plan. However....
Imagine if in March (lets assume they started developing this in March) that they said, "Coming this summer, to Hollywood Studios: FROZEN SUMMER FUN!!" but hadn't given a specific date because they weren't sure yet. How many people would have been on these very boards complaining that it should have started on June 1st....or how upset they are that it was ready by June 15th during their visit...or June 21st, or whatever.

I wonder if the change to EMH for AK and MK for July is related to this happening at DHS in July....

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

If it was a meet and greet or something simple, I would agree that it was last minute. But it sounds like a multi-layered production that had to have taken months to develop, cast, and train for?

I do see your point, though, about announcing it earlier so that people could plan. However....
Imagine if in March (lets assume they started developing this in March) that they said, "Coming this summer, to Hollywood Studios: FROZEN SUMMER FUN!!" but hadn't given a specific date because they weren't sure yet. How many people would have been on these very boards complaining that it should have started on June 1st....or how upset they are that it was ready by June 15th during their visit...or June 21st, or whatever.

I wonder if the change to EMH for AK and MK for July is related to this happening at DHS in July....

It could be a little of both. They may have been working on the stage show already and decided to throw a couple of extra things together to make it an event.

 

[speedo]

However....
Imagine if in March (lets assume they started developing this in March) that they said, "Coming this summer, to Hollywood Studios: FROZEN SUMMER FUN!!"

Plus in March how many people would have wanted to hear about "Frozen Summer fun" given the bad winter for most of the country . I'm from FL, so I could be wrong, but seems to me that an announcement in March about a frozen summer complete with ice skating demos and snowman building might not have gone over so well. I think people would have laughed at the idea.

At any rate this announcement made me change my plans. I was headed up there for Harambe nights at AK anyway in July and was already planning to hit DHS the next day but I added a second night to my stay because of the Fireworks. The Star Wars Fireworks were amazing, the best I've seen, so if these are anywhere near that level - we are definitely in for a treat!

 

[bobbiwoz]

The Frozen fireworks are what caused us to book a weekend trip for mid July!

Bobbi

 

[Kellykins1218]

Star Wars fans I can take, roving packs of little girls in Elsa dresses not so much.

We just got back from DW yesterday. The little Elsas are already EVERYWHERE.

 

[WEDWDW]

But it sounds like a multi-layered production that had to have taken months to develop, cast, and train for?

All reports are that the Pyro CMs are "scrambling" to secure enough inventory for all the fireworks shows and that Casting Calls only happened very recently.

The "Stage Show" in Premiere is not going to be an "elaborate" production.

I think the most obvious sign that this is a "last minute" promotion was the scheduling of the Rock Your Summer Side Dance Party for June 20-August 22.

Why would they schedule a Rock Your Summer Side Dance Party for June 20-August 22 if they had been planning a Coolest Summer Ever Dance Party for July 5- September 1 for months?

I don't think they would advertise and start one Dance Party knowing all along that they would be canceling it mid-run to start another Dance Party.

 

[MichiganDVC]

All reports are that the Pyro CMs are "scrambling" to secure enough inventory for all the fireworks shows and that Casting Calls only happened very recently.

The "Stage Show" in Premiere is not going to be an "elaborate" production.

I think the most obvious sign that this is a "last minute" promotion was the scheduling of the Rock Your Summer Side Dance Party for June 20-August 22.

Why would they schedule a Rock Your Summer Side Dance Party for June 20-August 22 if they had been planning a Coolest Summer Ever Dance Party for July 5- September 1 for months?

I don't think they would advertise and start one Dance Party knowing all along that they would be canceling it mid-run to start another Dance Party.

Gotcha! I don't really pay attention to the goings on at DHS, so wasn't thinking about the other party...

 

[WEDWDW]

Gotcha! I don't really pay attention to the goings on at DHS, so wasn't thinking about the other party...

Yeah,I could be completey wrong,but to me,everything does point to this promotion being "last minute".

Another thing is thsa all the other recent Summer promotions began in June(Summer Nightastic,Monsters University Homecoming)so I really think if this one wasn't "last minute",it would have also started in June.

 

[TinkerElsasMom]

Seems like a hastily thrown together 'event' designed to help shift crowds from MK into DHS over the summer. Not even in the same league as Diagon...can't see anyone who was planning on visiting what is likely the best themed, most technologically advance theme park addition ever, changing those plans to go see what they've thrown together for Frozen.

Exactly. I have no doubt that it was tossed together. But they probably started story boarding it in March or April. I do not think it has anything to do with diagon ally.

 

[WEDWDW]

I do not think it has anything to do with diagon ally.

I,of course don't think it is intended to be a Potter Swatter or anything like that-that would be silly to think that.

I do think with the "Opening Buzz" fro Mine Train tailing off,this gives hardcore Disney fans a "LITTLE" something new to talk about this Summer and,in that small way,does take a "LITTLE" bit away from the constant buzz about Diagon Alley.

It has generated a lot of interest as anything Frozen will do at this point in time and without it this Summer,there would not be anything at WDW taking even a "LITTLE" bit of the attention from DA.

 

[TAngel84]

I think it is a wonderful idea to liven up a comparitively speaking quiet park. Not a lot happening the DHS ...wouldn't really have gone on our last trip if the oldest didn't insist on riding Rock N Rollercoaster.

Now am trying to book another trip soon so the 6 yo can be a part of this experience bc she is in LOVE with Anna and Elsa.